Grapevine named ‘SWEET JASPER’

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of grapevine named ‘SWEET JASPER’. The new early ripening, very fertile grapevine variety is particularly characterized by an attractive berry color, a very uniform bunch and a firm berry with tender crunchy skin.

Botanical name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Vitis vinifera L.

Variety denomination: ‘SWEET JASPER’.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(f) of the Israeli Plant Breeders' Rights Application No. 4235 filed Jan. 4, 2010.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct grapevine variety, botanically known as Vitis vinifera L., and hereinafter referred to by its variety denomination ‘SWEET JASPER’.

The new grapevine ‘SWEET JASPER’ is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the inventors, Avichai Perl, Nachman Sahar, Oded Degani, Tatiana Okun, Arie Sarfian, Hanan Bazak, Refael Eliassi and Ahuva Daos at The Volcani Center, located in Bet Dagan, Israel. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a new early ripening, very fertile grapevine variety particularly characterized by attractive berries with yellowish green color which are uniform in size and shape and are firm with tender crunchy skin.

The new grapevine ‘SWEET JASPER’ originated from a cross made by the inventors in 2004 at The Volcani Center. The female or seed parent is the grapevine Vitis vinifera L indicated as ‘ARO 2117’ (unpatented), in the inventors' collection located in Bet Dagan, Israel, and the male or pollen parent is the grapevine Vitis vinifera L. indicated as ‘ARO 1717’ (unpatented), in the inventors' collection.

The new grapevine ‘SWEET JASPER’ was observed and selected by the inventors within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in 2007 at The Volcani Center.

Asexual propagation of the new grapevine variety by bud grafting was first performed in January 2008 at The Volcani Center, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new variety is firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual propagation. The new cultivar propagates true-to-type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘SWEET JASPER’ can be grown in various climates and growing conditions. The variety produces and maintains a strong vigorous plant and consistent fruit production from end June through end July in Bet Dagan, Israel.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be characteristics of ‘SWEET JASPER’, which in combination distinguish this grapevine as a new, unique and distinct variety.

-   -   1. Very fertile;     -   2. Early ripening;     -   3. Firm berry with tender crunchy skin;     -   4. Attractive yellow green berry color; and     -   5. Berries which are uniform in size and shape.

Plants of the new grapevine ‘SWEET JASPER’ differ from plants of the parents Vitis vinifera L. ‘ARO 2117’ (unpatented) and Vitis vinifera L. ‘ARO 1717’ (unpatented), in the following characteristics described in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Comparison with parent varieties. Female Parent Male Parent New Variety ‘ARO 2117’ ‘ARO 1717’ Characteristic ‘SWEET JASPER’ (unpatented) (unpatented) Berry shape cylindrical rounded elongated Berry color of skin yellowish green yellow green yellow green Berry thickness of skin thin very thick medium Seeds absent absent absent

Of the many commercial varieties known to the present inventors, the most similar to the new grapevine ‘SWEET JASPER’ are Vitis vinifera L. ‘SUGRAONE’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,106) and Vitis vinifera L. ‘PRIME’ (registered for Israeli Plant Breeders' Rights No. 1467), which differ from the new grapevine ‘SWEET JASPER’ in the characteristics described in Table 2:

TABLE 2 Comparison with similar varieties. New Variety Comparison Variety Comparison ‘SWEET ‘SUGRAONE’ Variety ‘PRIME’ Characteristic JASPER’ (patented) (registered) Berry shape cylindrical obtuse ovate oblong Berry color of skin yellowish green yellow green yellow green Berry thickness of thin medium medium skin Seeds absent absent absent

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new grapevine ‘SWEET JASPER’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed morphological description, which accurately describe the color of ‘SWEET JASPER’.

FIG. 1 shows a typical bunch of ‘SWEET JASPER’ on the plant.

FIG. 2 shows a typical mature leaf of ‘SWEET JASPER’.

FIG. 3 shows a typical inflorescence of ‘SWEET JASPER’.

FIG. 4 shows a typical growth tip of ‘SWEET JASPER’.

FIG. 5 shows a typical berry of ‘SWEET JASPER’.

DETAILED MORPHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Vitis vinifera L. ‘SWEET JASPER’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotypical descriptions and color designations stated for the new variety may vary, depending on variations in environmental factors, including weather (temperature, humidity and light intensity), day length, soil type, location and cultural conditions, without any change in the genotype of the grapevine. The following description of ‘SWEET JASPER’ unless otherwise noted, is based on observations and measurements taken during 2010 and 2011 at The Volcani Center, on plants grown in the vineyard located in Bet Dagan, Israel under conditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice. The described plants were grafted on ‘Richter110’ (unpatented) and planted at a distance of 1.5 m in sandy red loam soil at an elevation of about 30 meter above sea level with drip-irrigation up to 40 m³ per hectare in the peak season in the summer and Shefer 737+micro-elements 1.5 ltr. fertilizers in each 5 m³ of water. Average annual rainfall is about 550 mm, with an average of 350 mm rainfall in winter (December through February). Mean diurnal minimum temperature in January is 7.2° C., and mean diurnal maximum temperature in July is 30.8° C.

Unless otherwise stated, the detailed morphological description includes observations, measurements and values based on three-year-old ‘SWEET JASPER’ plants grown in the vineyard at The Volcani Center, located in Bet Dagan, Israel from 2010 to 2011. Quantified measurements are expressed as an average of measurements taken from a number of plants of ‘SWEET JASPER’. The measurements of any individual plant, or any group of plants, of the new variety may vary from the stated average.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), 1986 edition, except where general colors of ordinary significance are used. Color values were taken under daylight conditions in full sunlight in Bet Dagan, Israel.

All of the plants of ‘SWEET JASPER’, insofar as they have been observed, have been consistent in all the characteristics described below.

-   Classification:     -   -   Botanical.—Vitis vinifera L. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed parent.—Vitis vinifera L. ‘ARO 2117’             (unpatented).         -   Male or pollen parent.—Vitis vinifera L. ‘ARO 1717’             (unpatented). -   Propagation: Grafting onto ‘Richter110’ (unpatented), Interspecific     Cross, V. berlandieri Planch×V. rupestris Scheele. -   Growing conditions:     -   -   Light intensities.—Full sunlight.         -   Temperature.—Bet Dagan — 30 meters above sea level.

Feb- January ruary March April May June July Mean 17.8 18.1 20.1 24.5 27 29.2 30.8 maximum air temper- ature (° C.) Mean 7.2 7.1 8.8 11.5 14.6 17.9 20.6 minimum air temper- ature (° C.) Mean rainfall 140.5 96.9 66.1 17.5 2.2 — — (mm) Septem- Novem- Decem- August ber October ber ber Mean 31.2 30.4 28.3 24.1 19.7 maximum air temper- ature (° C.) Mean 21.2 19.4 16 11.8 8.6 minimum air temper- ature (° C.) Mean — 0.4 20.4 76.2 130.3 rainfall (mm)

-   -   -   Fertilization.—A balanced fertilizer with level of Shefer             737+microelements 1.5 ltr. in each 5 m³ of water.         -   Growth regulators.—None applied.         -   Pruning.—As in commercial practice.         -   Training.—Y trailing cordon.

-   Table of characteristics:     -   -   Plant.—Time of vegetative bud burst: beginning of March.         -   Young shoot.—Openness of tip: closed. Density of prostrate             hairs on tip: dense. Anthocyanin coloration of prostrate             hairs on tip: very weak. Green color: green RHS 144 A. Green             color of upper side of undeveloped leaf blade: medium green             RHS 144 A with over color medium red brown RHS 166 C. Green             color of lower side of undeveloped leaf blade: medium green             RHS 144 B with over color medium red brown RHS 166 C.             Anthocyanin coloration: medium.         -   Young leaf.—Density of hairs between main veins on lower             side of blade: dense. Glossiness of upper side: medium to             strong. Glossiness of lower side: weak.         -   Shoot.—Length of internode: 9-14 cm. Thickness of internode:             6-10 mm. Color of dorsal side of internode: green RHS 144 A.             Anthocyanin coloration of dorsal side of internode: medium,             brown red RHS 174 A. Distribution of anthocyanin coloration             of dorsal side of internode: blushed. Color of ventral side             of internode: green RHS 144 A. Anthocyanin coloration of             ventral side of internode: weak, brown red RHS 174 A.             Distribution of anthocyanin coloration of ventral side of             internode: blushed. Erect hairs on internodes: absent.             Height of node: about 2 cm. Swelling at node: 1-2 mm.             Diameter of node: about 1.5 cm. Color of dorsal side of             node: green RHS 144 A. Anthocyanin coloration of dorsal side             of node: medium, brown red RHS 174 A. Distribution of             anthocyanin coloration of dorsal side of node: blushed.             Color of ventral side of node: green RHS 144 A. Anthocyanin             coloration of ventral side of node: medium, brown red RHS             174 A. Distribution of anthocyanin coloration of ventral             side of node: blushed. Pubescence of node: absent. Length of             tendril: 20-40 cm. Diameter of tendril at base: 2-4 mm.             Diameter of tendril at tip: about 2 mm. Pubescence of             tendril: absent. Number of bifurcations per tendril:             about 4. Color of tendril: light yellow green RHS 144 C.             Anthocyanin coloration of tendril: medium to strong at lower             part brown red RHS 174 A. Number of consecutive tendrils:             not continuous.         -   Inflorescence.—Length: 13-17 cm. Maximum diameter: 5-6 cm.             No. of side branches: 10-13. Attitude of side branches:             horizontal. Length of longest side branch: 2-3 cm. Thickness             of main axis: about 3 mm. Green color of main axis: light             green RHS 144 B. Anthocyanin coloration of main axis: weak.             Pubescence of main axis: weak.         -   Flower.—Sexual organs: fully developed stamen and fully             developed gynoecium.         -   Pedicel.—Length: 2-3 mm. Thickness: less than 1 mm. Green             color: light green RHS 144 B. Pubescence: weak.         -   Stamen.—Number: five. Length of filament: 2-3 mm. Thickness             of filament: minuscule. Pubescence of filament: absent.             Surface: smooth. Color: yellow RHS 150 C.         -   Anther.—Shape: transverse elliptic. Length: minuscule.             Color: light green RHS 145 C.         -   Pollen.—Color: yellow RHS 150 C.         -   Ovary.—Shape: elliptic. Color: green RHS 144 A. Length:             2-3 mm. Diameter: about 1 mm. Surface: smooth.         -   Style.—Length: minuscule.         -   Stigma.—Size: minuscule. Color: yellow RHS 150 C.         -   Mature leaf.—Blade length: 15-19 cm. Blade width: 16-19 cm.             Shape of blade: pentagonal. Green color of upper side: dark             green RHS 147 A. Green color of lower side: dark green RHS             between 146 A and 146 B. Glossiness of upper side: medium.             Glossiness of lower side: weak. Profile in cross section:             undulated. Blistering of upper side: weak. Number of lobes:             five. Central lobe length: 6-7 cm. Central lobe width:             7-9 cm. Upper, side lobe length: 6-7 cm. Upper, side lobe             width: about 7 cm. Pubescence of veins on upper side:             medium. Pubescence of veins on lower side: strong. Green             color of veins on upper side: green RHS 145 C. Green color             of veins on lower side: yellow green between RHS 145 B and             145 C. Anthocyanin coloration of veins on upper side:             absent. Anthocyanin coloration of veins on lower side:             absent. Depth of upper lateral sinus: deep. Arrangement of             lobes of upper leaf sinus: free. Arrangement of lobes of             petiole sinus: open. Petiole sinus limited by veins: absent.             Length of distal tooth: 10-13 mm. Width of distal tooth:             9-14 mm. Ratio length/width of distal tooth: medium. Shape             of tooth: straight on both sides. Anthocyanin coloration of             main veins on upper side of blade: absent. Density of hairs             between veins on upper side of blade: medium. Density of             hairs between veins on lower side of blade: medium. Length             of petiole compared to main vein: shorter. Length of             petiole: 8-10 cm. Petiole thickness: 4-6 mm.         -   Petiole.—Green color of upper side: green yellow RHS 145 B.             Anthocyanin coloration of upper side: red RHS 59 C. Green             color of lower side: green yellow RHS 145 B. Anthocyanin             coloration of lower side: red RHS 59 C. Pubescence: medium.         -   Fruit.—Time of beginning of berry ripening: medium.         -   Bunch.—Length (peduncle included): about 25 cm. Maximum             diameter: 12-15 cm. Weight: about 500 gr. General shape:             broad triangular. Peduncle length: 3-7 cm. Peduncle             thickness: about 5 mm. Peduncle color: light green RHS 144 C             with anthocyanin coloration pink RHS 181 B. Peduncle             lignification: absent. Density: dense.         -   Pedicel.—Length: 8-11 mm. Thickness: 2-3 mm. Color: green             RHS 145 A.         -   Berry.—Detachment: medium. Length: 26-34 mm. Diameter:             18-22 mm. Weight: about 7.6 gr. Shape in profile:             cylindrical. Shape in cross section: rounded. Depression at             distal end: absent. Color of skin (without bloom): yellowish             green between RHS 145 B and 145 C. Amount of bloom: none             Surface: Smooth, slightly ridged. Thickness of skin: thin.             Adherence of skin to flesh: strong. Flesh color: very light             green RHS 145 C. Flesh anthocyanin coloration: absent.             Firmness of flesh: firm. Juiciness of flesh: low. Particular             flavor: absent. Formation of seeds: absent.         -   Woody shoot.—Length of node: variable. Main color (without             bloom): brown RHS 177 B. Relief of surface: rough. Shape in             cross section: ribbed. Diameter: about 10 mm. Lenticels: not             visible.

-   Usage: Table grape.

-   Disease\pest resistance: No atypical resistance has been noted. 

1. A new and distinct grapevine variety, referred to as ‘SWEET JASPER’, as herein described and illustrated by the characteristics set forth above. 